Becoming A Fiction Writer
One girl, one dream … and a whole lot of procrastination
February 25, 2010 by amanda

I finished an Irvine Welsh book, but the dialogue still bugs me

There are great writers, and then there are great writers who use annoying local dialect in their dialogue which makes it really annoying to read. If you’re a loyal reader with a good memory you’ll know that a while ago I abandoned Irvine Welsh novels because of his (as perceived by me) overuse of Scottish dialect that was difficult to understand. (He’s the guy who wrote Trainspotting, among others, if you’re not sure.)

So, here’s the thing: Irvine Welsh, who I do think is a great writer apart from this flaw, is coming to the Perth Writers Festival in 2010. This was the impetus I needed to read another novel from him, so I picked his newest one, Crime. The good news is that I finished it, and loved it – it’s a pretty dark story about paedophiles but totally page-turning. It’s also set in Florida, rather than Scotland, with only a couple of major Scottish characters, so that meant that the dialogue I’m scared of was a lot rarer than in some of his other novels.

But just the same, I was occasionally quite bogged down trying to figure out what those Scottish characters were actually saying. Example: “I was gaunny take her … Tess came down wi it in there” is relatively simple to “translate”, but still slows down my reading; “An awfay sweet wee lassie, and she’s been nae bother at aw” starts to stretch things for me. Like I said, these kind of phrases are few and far between in Crime, but it reminds me why so many writing teachers suggest – implore! – that you should avoid writing in strong dialect. A few words here and there – “Aye” for yes doesn’t bother me in Welsh’s work – should be enough to remind us that these people sound a bit different.

What do you think? Would you be annoyed if an Australian character in a story I wrote went around saying, “Struth mate, watcha reckon we get the barbie goin’?” all the time? Does strong dialect in novels bother you? Let me know in the comments.

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February 22, 2010 by amanda

Writers’ keyboard syndrome: Where’s the “e”?

Faded keyboard

My other half refuses to sit down at my computer any more because he can’t type using my keyboard. I guess, looking at this picture, I can understand why. I type so much, and probably a little too fast and too hard, with the tough fingernails I inherited from my mother, and the letters have worn off many of the keys. And this is the second keyboard I’ve been through in about a year.

I don’t usually notice because 95% of the time I touch type, but there are odd occasions where I find it difficult. If I’m trying to drink a cup of tea with one hand, for example, and need to type in a website address to read while I drink, then searching for a letter when not using both hands to type is quite tricky. I have to look away and then my fingers find their own way. I guess for someone who can’t touch type,
this keyboard would really be quite a challenge.

It’s not even old – maybe six or seven months. It’s wireless which I love, because I can move it around my desk to fit in with the piles of books or notepads that might otherwise get in the way, and I can easily hold it up high out of the way when my cats are playing around on my desk. It’s also super-ergonomic, which was weird at first but means my wrists don’t feel tired or sore at the end of the day. So I’m reluctant to change it back to the old non-wireless keyboard I still have sitting in my shelves, even if it does still have the letters on most of the keys. I guess if the punctuation marks start disappearing too, then I might have to give in. Until then, I’ll keep typing. Fading keyboards are just one of the curses us writers have to put up with, I suppose.

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February 19, 2010 by amanda

Fellow writers, do you get bored? I don’t …

“Are you bored yet?” This is the most common question that people have been asking me since I’ve become a bit housebound thanks to some pregnancy dramas. At first, I was a little surprised to be asked. Then it kept happening, and I realised that obviously a lot of people think they would be bored if they were in my situation, “stuck” at home.

Of course, I’d much prefer to be still at work teaching, and also able to get out of the house a bit more (although I don’t miss the supermarket too much!), but I’ve never for a moment felt like I could get bored. I’ve been trying to figure out if it’s just my personality type, and/or how much it is related to being a writer.

My current theory is that writers very rarely get bored. In my case, if I find myself in a boring situation, I find a way to make it interesting or useful for me. For example, last year I was “trapped” in a cinema having to watch a really bad, boring movie because it was part of a compulsory school excursion, and obviously the teacher can’t leave – but she can do something else! I had a notebook and pen in my bag (as always) and in the dim light coming from the movie screen, I made some notes about a story I was writing. Admittedly they were a bit difficult to read later, but thinking about that story stopped me from being bored.

Similarly, now that I’m home most of the time, I really can’t imagine getting bored. I have so many things I want to write, and on top of that, a million books I want to read. And that works out pretty well, because I need to make sure I don’t spend too long doing any one thing – I can’t sit, stand or lie down for long periods of time. Being forced to change tasks quite regularly is even better and keeps my writing fresh. And bored? I don’t have time to be bored.

So now I want to know what you think. Do you get bored? If you’re a writer, in particular, do you get bored less than other people? I’m curious. Please let me know in the comments.

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February 17, 2010 by amanda

Writing in the pool and finding another “Shower Thinker”


You might remember how my mother solved my “shower thinking” problem by finding me some waterproof notebooks which I can use to jot down ideas that come to me while I am in the shower. Well, there are now two more things I have to tell you today about waterproof notebooks. Who would’ve thought it was such an important topic?

First off, I’ve discovered yet another great use for waterproof notebooks for fiction writers. Or for any writers, I guess. Thanks to some lovely pregnancy-related dramas (pelvis problems and leg swelling, if you must know) I currently need to spend a fair bit of time in our swimming pool, but I’m not allowed to swim, in fact I just have to stand there in the middle (this photo’s an old one!).

This is not always too exciting, as you’d imagine, and I’d wondered what else I could do while I’m in the pool. And suddenly it hit me: waterproof notebook! Just recently in the pool I wrote several pages of notes for the planning stages of my new novella (more details on that soon). It makes my stay in the pool a lot more interesting and I love that I’m also getting something productive done at the same time. I highly recommend it to anyone – I really have a theory that being in water helps make you more creative, so try hopping into a pool or the ocean with your waterproof notebook next time you need some inspiration!

Second, I came across someone else who’d had the same idea as me, but unlike me, is making money out of it. Whereas my mother sourced my waterproof notebooks from a forestry supply shop, there is actually a company that is marketing their AquaNotes waterproof notebooks as being perfect for “shower thinkers”, just like myself. Smart work.

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February 15, 2010 by amanda

My reading habits: Where are your books now?

I guess that most writers out there are avid readers. I know I certainly am, and that doesn’t just mean I read a lot, but that I acquire books like some people acquire bread and milk, and then I read these books in various rooms of the house at various times and basically make a widespread book mess. And yes, it drives my husband quite mad.

I thought it’d be interesting to do a quick survey of the house and find out where my current reads are. Of course, there are a couple by the bed. At a minimum, I usually have two books on the go next to my bed, for reading in the evening before I go to sleep, and there are two because it depends whether I have the energy left for something heavier, more literary, or if I’m exhausted and just need something lighter.

Moving on through the house, there is always a book on the dining table near the kitchen. If my husband goes to work too early (therefore eating breakfast long before me), then that’s there to read. I nearly always manage to resist reading at the table when he’s there! Sometimes this book might move to the kitchen bench or, like now, there might be another book there entirely – that’s the one I read while I’m cooking dinner, in those pauses between stirring something.

Out in the living room, there is often a book either on the sofa or the coffee table, and that usually gets attacked during ad breaks while I’m watching TV, or occasionally when I have the chance to sit down and actually spend time devoted to reading of an afternoon (that’s rare).

And finally, there is always a book in whichever handbag I’ve used last – there to be read in a waiting room or on the train or during some kind of interruption to whatever I should be doing. See what a good girl scout I am – always prepared.

What about you? Where are your current books? Let me know in the comments – you know I’m curious.

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February 13, 2010 by amanda

Books on the beach, what a great combination

Books are not usually the stars of cool photos, but this is really an exception. Recently at Bondi Beach in Sydney (oh, how I wish I could have popped over to Sydney and seen this in person!) a furniture store (one I like, but nonetheless won’t plug on my blog) set up this display of bookshelves and organised a “book swap”. You could bring your own books and swap them for ones on the shelf, or just take a book and give a gold coin donation, with proceeds going to the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation. Isn’t that a neat idea? I just love the idea of going for a swim or a surf then strolling up the beach to browse all these book shelves. Heavenly.

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February 11, 2010 by amanda

Kazuo Ishiguro says I’m about to enter my peak as a novelist

Listening to an interview with one of my favourite authors, Kazuo Ishiguro, recently, I heard him say something fantastic:

What I want to emphasise is that for novelists … I think that your peak is likely to be somewhere in your mid 30s to your mid 40s. A few years after footballers!

But then the pressure came on …

You have to really go for it when you’re in your 30s, and you have to ignore older people who patronise you as though you’re some kind of little chick that’s about to hatch. Historically, that’s when you’re most likely to do your best work, so go for it.

He went on to give plenty of examples of famous novelists who really had published their best novels in their mid 30s.

So, there’s good news there: I’m about to enter my mid 30s, so I figure this is a positive sign for my future novel writing potential. Of course it would help if Ishiguro could share his theory with all the publishers likely to look at my work, then I could really milk it. But the bad news seems to be that it’s getting close to crunch time. If I’m going to make it, I have to really get on with it and make it soon!

It’s nice to daydream about a future where I really am a published novelist (I mean, I actually do believe it will happen one day – I just don’t know when). However, being a novelist is one thing that I’ve always thought is much less age-dependent than pretty much every other occupation. I mean, sports stars and film stars mostly start young; sports stars generally finish young, too. But plenty of novelists don’t start until they retire from their “real job” and they still do well.

Okay, to summarise my thoughts: I would love to be a published novelist in my 30s, but I don’t think this will be my peak. Perhaps if I’d studied writing at university and had really spent my 20s practicing my craft, it would be possible, but I still think I have far too much to learn. But is what Ishiguro says, in general, true? I don’t know, but I’d like to turn that question over to you, readers:

What’s the peak age for a novelist? Let me know your opinion in the comments section.

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February 8, 2010 by amanda

For fun and inspiration: People who talk in their sleep


Sara, one of my cats, who doesn’t talk in her sleep

Inspiration for fiction writers can come from all kinds of places. I’m always on the lookout for quirky stuff that might just set my creative juices flowing when I’m not feeling in such a creative mood. And there’s nothing like a bizarre website like Sleep Talkin’ Man to inspire you.

Apparently this British guy talks in his sleep pretty much every night, and his American wife records what he says (not sure when she sleeps!). She then blogs it the next morning so that the world can find out what kind of crazy stuff he’s been saying. A lot of it needs a censor (so don’t send your children to read this site) but some is just plain hilarious. A few samples:

I want to be a cowboy. I don’t want to be a panda.

I’m baking pillows. Burn them slowly, keeps them fluffy!

Give me back my hands! Limb thief!

And so on. Apart from just getting a good laugh out of this (and worrying a bit, because I’ve been told I also talk in my sleep – usually, thank goodness, not in a language anybody seems to be able to understand), it’s something you can go to if you’re stuck for something to write and would love a bizarre writing prompt to get you going. Much better than just telling you to write about your last summer holiday.

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February 5, 2010 by amanda

Facebook: Why I think fiction writers should be there

To Facebook, or not to Facebook, that is the question that many people around the world have asked themselves recently. Personally, I love using Facebook to keep in touch with the large number of people I know in many different parts of the world, but that’s mostly because I’ve travelled a lot, lived overseas, and now teach people who return to their home countries, so it makes sense; someone who has most of their friends living within reach could quite easily convince me they didn’t see any use in it and would prefer to communicate in other ways.

But whether or not you choose to use Facebook as a way to keep in touch with your friends, I’d like to argue that it’s still a valuable tool for a writer. One of the most fascinating aspects of Facebook for me as a writer is, perhaps surprisingly, what others complain about as being mundane and boring: people providing regular updates on what’s happening in their lives, by typing in their so-called status updates. A random sample of (identity-hidden) updates from my Facebook friends a while ago reveals fiction-inspiring gems like these:

If only I had broken my teeth a week or two earlier I could have saved myself $700.

I had a bat in my bedroom and a snake in the chookhouse today.

T has just had the sort of conversation that only makes sense if you are two and a half.

Confucius say, “Man who run in front of car get tired. Man who run behind car get exhausted.”

Spending my two weeks child-free sick in bed was not the plan.

There’s a beach and a beer and a boat missing…

Isn’t this stuff what every writer loves – we’re eavesdropping on the daily lives of all different kinds of people, a bit like sitting in a cafe or a bus and listening to other people’s conversations. I can follow the daily intricacies of people in thirty or so countries, young and old, engineers, truck drivers, teachers, doctors, housewives, students, small business owners, flight attendants, you name it. I can already think of an example when some small incident I’d read about on Facebook became part of the background of a character in a story I was writing. So next time you hear a writer being dismissive of Facebook, just be glad that you might be the one getting all the inspiration and new ideas, and they’re missing out. That’s my theory anyway, apart from Facebook being a lot of fun. Being curious is a healthy and normal part of being a fiction writer (I like to tell myself!), and observing other people’s lives on Facebook is just another part of the puzzle of what goes into my head and eventually comes out as story.

Side note on Facebook’s value: Remember I posted about whether or not a writer’s friends read their work or not? Well, I put a link to this post on my Facebook page, which is read by a lot of my friends, and I got some fantastic feedback – I discovered a few more “lurking” readers, especially old high school friends who, without me realising it, have been reading quite a lot of my blog posts and articles. It was a nice surprise (despite the fact I’d just concluded it “wasn’t important” if my friends read my work or not) and gave me quite a boost. Obviously making a quick comment on Facebook is a lot faster for many people than getting into commenting on a blog, so it was really great to get that feedback. Facebook 2, Anti-Facebook 0.

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February 2, 2010 by amanda

Florence’s doorbells inspire me in the short story direction

Just before Christmas, a colleague of mine excitedly recommended a book she was reading (thanks, Kath!): The Doorbells of Florenceby Andrew Losowsky. It’s quite a special book to look at – a small hard back with nice quality paper, full of colour photographs, graphics and an attractive font. And it’s not only attractive physically, but the whole idea of it is absolutely adorable.

Basically, it was inspired by Losowsky’s random decision to photograph a bunch of doorbells in Florence. Fortunately, Italian doorbells are a lot more beautiful than my rather uninspiring doorbell, shown above. Anyway, once he had his bunch of doorbell pictures, usually including the names of the various tenants who occupied the building, Losowsky let his imagination run wild and he wrote short (usually very short) stories to explain something of the lives of the people living in the building. And that’s what is in this book. It’s perhaps a little hard to explain, but it’s just gorgeous and you should see it for yourself.

When I went to read a bit more about Losowsky and his doorbell project, I discovered that he’d first published parts of it on Flickr (the web home to billions of photos) as “Flicktion” – that is, a collection of Flickr photos which have a piece of fiction attached to them. It’s worth having a browse through the Flicktion tag over at Flickr to see what else other people have been doing. In any case, this book has got me totally inspired. I want to make my own! I’ve got so many ideas for what kind of objects I could “collect” to inspire some stories. And one day I’ll do it – just watch this space, okay?!

(In the meantime, if anyone can concoct a good story to match my uninspiring doorbell, I’d be most impressed. I don’t think I can do it.)

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